Arlington’s Great Meadows

Arlington's Great Meadows
Protected area
Looking into Arlington's Great Meadows from the Minuteman Bikeway.
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex
Town	Lexington
Elevation	167 ft (51 m)
Coordinates	42°25′59″N 71°12′11″W / 42.433°N 71.203°W / 42.433; -71.203Coordinates: 42°25′59″N 71°12′11″W / 42.433°N 71.203°W / 42.433; -71.203
Area	183 acres (74 ha)
Established	1871
Management	Town of Arlington
Location in Massachusetts

Arlington's Great Meadows is a 183-acre meadow located adjacent to the Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington, Massachusetts. The meadow was once the site of a dairy farm and was also used to graze livestock and harvest crops. In 1871, Great Meadows was acquired by the town of Arlington, Massachusetts for use as a water storage area for the Mystic River. After being drained in the early 20th century, it turned into a protected area for wildlife. To this day, it also serves as a popular recreational area and an important piece in local flood control in addition to remaining a protected area.

Originally known as "Alewife Meadows" during colonial times, European settlers would settle nearby and use the area to harvest oak, and mine for the Medford Shipyards. Due to the fact that the soil was too soft to support buildings, the settlers left the marsh open and instead used it to graze livestock. A local family operated a dairy farm on Great Meadows until the 1860s. They also built a mill nearby the site to help build the foundations for homes. Additionally, between 1865 and 1867, the American Peat Company cut and burned peat to fuel local homes and churches.

Great Meadows was purchased by the town of Arlington in 1871 and primarily used as a water storage area to prevent flooding to nearby areas. Families of nearby neighborhoods used the resulting body of water for recreational activities such as boating. However, after Arlington joined the Metropolitan District Commission, making it no longer necessary to hold the water for supply, the reservoir was drained, in 1902, leaving it as a wet meadow. For much of the 20th century, Great Meadows served as a habitat for a wide variety of local wildlife.

Since the opening of the adjacent Minuteman Bikeway in 1992, it has become a popular recreational spot for residents of Arlington and Lexington. As a result, dirt trails were added throughout Great Meadows. Additionally, it continues to play an important role in flood control for the surrounding neighborhoods because the soil in the wetlands is known for being able to absorb the water like a sponge.

In the 21st century, there have been two wildfires in AGM that have caused significant damage to the ecosystem. The first one occurred on April 23, 2008. Nine acres of upland forest near a nursing home were damaged. The fire was set by six teenagers playing in the woods, though it is unclear if the fire was ignited accidentally or intentionally. Almost a year later, on April 17, 2009, AGM was hit with another fire. Two firefighters were injured and the fire came within feet of nearby homes. Twenty-two local fire departments and state police responded to help extinguish the blaze, which took four and a half hours to put out. Over a dozen acres were decimated in the fire. The cause of the fire is believed to be the result of human activity. However, it remains unclear if the fire was started intentionally or not.